Shloka 20
Doṣa-Parīkṣā and Guṇa-Viveka
Examination of Faults and Discernment of the Guṇas
गुणहीनो हि त॑ मार्ग बहि: समनुवर्तते । गुणाभावात् प्रकृत्या वा निस्तर्क्य ज्ञेयसम्मितम्
guṇahīno hi taṁ mārgaṁ bahiḥ samanuvartate | guṇābhāvāt prakṛtyā vā nistarkyaṁ jñeyasammitam ||
ភីṣ្មៈបានមានព្រះវាចា៖ «មនុស្សដែលខ្វះគុណធម៌ តែងនៅខាងក្រៅ ហើយដើរតាមផ្លូវខាងក្រៅប៉ុណ្ណោះ។ តែព្រះអាត្មាអតិបរមា—ដែលជាវត្ថុដឹងខ្ពស់បំផុត—លើសលប់ពីគុណ (គុណៈ) ដូច្នេះតាមសភាពរបស់ព្រះអង្គ វាមិនអាចឲ្យតក្កវិជ្ជាធម្មតាវាស់វែងឬឈានដល់បានឡើយ»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
External observances without inner virtues keep one on an ‘outer path.’ The ultimate reality (Paramatman), being beyond the guṇas, cannot be captured by argument alone; it is approached through inner purification, disciplined practice, and direct realization rather than mere debate.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction to Yudhiṣṭhira, Bhishma continues his discourse on dharma and spiritual attainment, contrasting superficial religiosity with genuine inner transformation and pointing to the transcendence of the Supreme Self beyond conceptual reasoning.